Thailand vs Australia to go ahead, but no joy permitted

Australian football fans must tone down their dress and resist chanting or any “joyful activities” if they want to support the Socceroos at their World Cup qualifier with Thailand next month.

The Nov 15 match will go ahead as originally planned, Football Federation Australia (FFA) said on Friday, but both the Australians and Thai hosts have asked fans to be mindful the host nation is mourning following the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The Football Association of Thailand (FAT) had sought to move the match out of respect for the long-reigning monarch, who died earlier this month aged 88.

But FFA on Friday confirmed the 2018 World Cup qualifier would be played at Bangkok’s Rajamangala Stadium as originally scheduled, and asked fans to respect local customs and a series of requests from the Thais.

The Australian body asked fans to respect a number of requests it said were from the Sports Authority of Thailand, including that clothing for spectators “shall be in polite manner with suggested colors such as white, black, gray and preferably with no designs on them”.

Banners, drums, trumpets, flags, megaphones, whistles and cheering sticks have been banned from the stadium, while FFA said the Sports Authority of Thailand had said fan chants would be strictly prohibited both inside and around the venue.